地域在住高齢女性のサルコペニアの有病割合

フィンランドの70-80歳の地域在住女性におけるサルコペニアと骨減少症の有病割合を見た論文を紹介します。

R. Patil, K. Uusi-Rasi, M. Pasanen, P. Kannus, S. Karinkanta and H. Sievänen. Sarcopenia and osteopenia among 70–80-year-old home-dwelling Finnish women: prevalence and association with functional performance. Osteoporosis International 2012, DOI: 10.1007/s00198-012-2046-2

対象はADLが自立しているフィンランドの地域在住女性409人です。サルコペニアの有無は、EWGSOPとIWGの診断基準を用いています。結果ですが、EWGSOPでは0.9％、IWGでは2.7%しかサルコペニアに該当しませんでした。一方、骨減少症は36%に認めました。

少なくともフィンランドでは、ADLが自立している健常高齢者において、サルコペニアはあまり問題とならないのかもしれません。虚弱高齢者や障害者では問題になると考えますが…。

Abstract

Summary

This study showed that the prevalence of sarcopenia (low muscle mass and performance) among 70–80-year-old home-dwelling Finnish women is very low, while every third woman has WHO-based osteopenia (low bone mass). Muscle mass and derived indices of sarcopenia were not significantly related to measures of functional ability.

Introduction

This study aims to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and osteopenia among four hundred nine 70–80-year-old independently living Finnish women. The study compared consensus diagnostic criteria for age-related sarcopenia recently published by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) and the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWG) and assessed their associations with functional ability.

Methods

Femoral bone mineral density and body composition were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), gait speed, and handgrip strength were used for sarcopenia diagnosis. Independent samples t tests determined group differences in body composition and functional ability according to recommended diagnostic cutpoints. Scatter plots were used to illustrate the correlations between the outcome measures used for diagnosis.

Results

Prevalence of sarcopenia was 0.9 and 2.7 % according to the EWGSOP and IWG, respectively. Thirty-six percent of the women had WHO-based osteopenia. Women with higher gait speed had significantly lower body weight and fat mass percentage, higher lean mass percentage, and better functional ability. Women with a low SMI weighed significantly less, with no significant differences in other outcome measures. SMI, gait speed, and grip strength were significantly correlated.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that when using consensus definitions, sarcopenia is infrequent among older home-dwelling women while every third woman has osteopenia. In clinical practice, attention should be paid to the decline in functional ability rather than focusing on low muscle mass alone.